1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to brakes for roller skates, and more particularly to an improved device for use in combination with roller skates for applying braking action to the rear wheels thereof.
Although roller skating has been a well-known source of recreational enjoyment since at least the 19th century, improvements in materials useful for roller skate wheels and trucks have resulted in a surprising resurgence in the popularity of roller skates, particularly those that are designed to include wheels of modern resilient material that increase the comfort and the durability of the skates.
Although various prior art devices for applying braking action to roller skates have been disclosed, none known to applicant is compatible with the new, radically different structure of modern roller skates. As a result, modern skates depend for their braking action on a large rubber braking pad, typically of truncated conical configuration, that is located in the forward-most portion of the skate structure whereby braking action is caused to occur when the roller skater's foot is bent forward at the ankle to cause the braking device to come into contact with the floor surface. Because of the forward location of such conventional braking devices, it is unsafe to apply such braking action with the roller skater facing the direction of his motion. Clearly, the creation of a rotational moment around the braking portion of the skates would cause the skater to tumble forward over his skates and perhaps incur injuries. Consequently, typical braking action used in such conventional brake pads on modern skates, is applied after the roller skater rotates his body 180.degree. so that he is facing opposite the direction of his travel. Although such reversal of facing direction precludes the tumbling result referred to above, it requires that the roller skater risk not seeing obstacles in the direction of his path and therefore creates a second danger that may also result in collisions and substantial injuries.
Prior art patents relating to devices to provide skate wheel braking action, include by way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 862,849 to Rumble which discloses the use of a brake shoe which is forced into contact with the front side of the skates' rear wheels by means of a lever in response to forward knee action imparted by the skater against brake levers which are secured to the skater's legs by straps. Braking action in the Rumble device occurs when the brake levers are pivoted forward or, in other words, when the skater's feet are rotated up towards the knees of the skater. This, of course, will be recognized by those familiar with the roller skate art as an unnatural motion for braking that is opposite the direction for braking using the conventional forward located braking devices referred to above.
In U.S. Pat. No. 1,402,010 to Ormiston a roller skate brake is disclosed in which rearward motion of an ankle brace, including side members, causes pivoting of a brake shoe to come into contact with a disk portion of a roller skate tire in this ancient two-wheel roller skate.
In U.S. Pat. No. 1,445,048 to Spross, rotation of the foot that brings the toes up towards the kneecaps, causes a brake band to bend and come into contact with the roller skate wheel tire to cause braking action.
Still another U.S. Pat. No. 2,027,487 to Means, discloses a brakeshoe that comes into contact with the rear surface of the skate wheels when forward pressure is applied to a lever by an operating link connected by a cord which, presumably, is held by the roller skater in his hands and pulled upwardly when braking is desired.
In all such prior art patents relating to the roller skate brake art, the devices disclosed therein are not compatible with the modern skate and the modern roller skater either because such prior art devices require the use of some form of strapping engagement with the leg of the roller skater which would substantially hinder his freedom of motion and become a general annoyance, or because they teach the use of an extention, such as a rope or strap, or such as one that surrounds the waist of the roller skater or that must be held in the hands of the roller skater and which also hinders freedom of motion and constitutes a general annoyance that inhibits the liklihood of commercial success and marketability of such skate brake devices.